(Excerpt from The Pastor Is In)
You really have to be careful in whom you confide.
Dreams are the hints God whispers in your ear about who you really are. They’re precious. In fact, they’re priceless. And so dreams have to be guarded against thieves who would steal them away and leave you without hope.
Many people make the crucial mistake of revealing their aspirations to someone who isn’t worthy of something so delicate and valuable. Certain people will shatter your dreams with their clumsy comments. They don’t mean any harm, but they’re blind to the value of your personal ambitions. That’s why sometimes it’s best to nurture those fragile dreams in private until they’re strong enough to stand out in the open.
Then there are the haters. They’re dissatisfied with their own circumstances, but unmotivated to work toward change. That’s why they scoff at the mere suggestion that you want to grow into something more than you are.
Misery loves company, and apathy is always self-conscious in the presence of action.
You’ve heard their lines before:
“What makes you think you can do that?”
“Didn’t you try that once before?”
“Who do you think you are?”
And the really cruel ones just laugh right in your face!
Sadly, these people are sometimes the ones closest to us. I once counseled a young lady who wanted desperately to go back to school, but wouldn’t do it because her mother kept ridiculing the idea. So, wanting to make mom happy, she deferred her dreams for years until she realized that her mother was really scared of her daughter becoming more independent and no longer needing her. This was nothing more than that mother’s selfish desire to maintain the status quo, and it stifled this young woman’s aspirations for a long time.
Even our most intimate relations are not always the best custodians of our dreams.
What have you set your mind to achieve? What new endeavor have you wanted to attempt? What has your spirit been spurring you to do?
Now why haven’t you made your move yet?
If it’s because someone has hijacked your hope, it’s time to reclaim what’s rightfully yours. First and foremost, reaffirm your faith in God and in yourself – you were made for great things! Then start using the wisdom of discernment to tell the difference between the people who will handle your dream with care and those who will fumble the fragile and precious gift that God has given you.
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